Tuscaloosa District Attorney Tommy Smith retires; Lyn Head sworn in

Gov. Robert Bentley has appointed Smith as a supernumerary district attorney. It's a position that allows retired prosecutors to try special cases across the state.

File photo | The Tuscaloosa News

By Stephanie TaylorStaff Writer | The Tuscaloosa News

Published: Friday, November 1, 2013 at 9:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, November 1, 2013 at 12:33 p.m.

Tuscaloosa County District Attorney Tommy Smith has retired from the position he has held for more than 14 years.
Friday was his last day.
Gov. Robert Bentley appointed Assistant District Attorney Lyn Head to fill the position.
Smith, 64, announced the retirement to his staff last week and to the public on Friday.
"It has been an honor and a privilege to be given the opportunity to serve the people of Tuscaloosa County," he wrote in a release sent at noon.
The governor appointed Smith to serve as a supernumerary district attorney, a position for retired prosecutors that allows him to prosecute special cases across the state.
Head was sworn in as district attorney Friday afternoon.
Tuscaloosa voters have elected Smith to three six-year terms. He took office in 1999 after serving in the office for most of his career. Smith started in the District Attorney's Office as a law clerk in 1973.
"While I have been the district attorney, we have partnered with many other agencies and entities to treat drug addictions and reduce recidivism. I am very proud of the great strides forward that have been made," he said.
Smith has served on the executive board of the Alabama District Attorneys Association and was elected president of the association in 2010.

New district attorney Lyn Head

Smith said he is proud of partnerships his office formed with city and county school systems and law enforcement agencies. Together, the groups created the HELP and IMPACT programs, designed to create intervention with at-risk children and their families. Children who have participated in the programs have shown improved academic performance and higher graduation rates, he said.
"The goal is to address the issues that are causing the children to act out and get suspended," he said. "We know that if those issues are not addressed, these children are far more likely to drop out of school and commit crimes."
Smith is also proud of the CLEAN program, a pre-trial diversion program created by members of the courts, local attorneys and substance abuse treatment professionals. First-time, non-violent drug and alcohol offenders participate in the program. Graduates are less likely to offend, Smith said, and are more likely to kick their drug addictions.
The office's Child Support Unit has collected more than $100 million in child support for the county's children. Smith praised the unit and the Special Services Division, which includes the Worthless Check Unit and the Restitution Recovery Unit. Staff members have worked hard, he said, to enforce court- ordered restitution owed to victims and delinquent court costs.
Smith said he is also proud that his office has increased the number of Victim Service Officers who act as liaisons between the office and the victims and witnesses involved in cases.
"Finally, but certainly not least, I want to make sure and say what an honor it has been for me to serve with all the men and women on staff," he said. "They are all true public servants who are dedicated to the profession and to serving the people of Tuscaloosa County."
Head has worked as an assistant Tuscaloosa County District Attorney since 1999.
"I am thankful for the opportunity to have served under Tommy and appreciate all that I have learned from him," she said. "I look forward to continuing to serve our community in this capacity."
She previously worked in the District Attorney's Office for the 10th Judicial Circuit in Bessemer, for the private Tuscaloosa firm Rosen, Harwood, Cook and Sledge (now Rosen Harwood PC) and Webb & Eley in Montgomery.
She earned her law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1990.

SMITH'S FULL STATEMENT

I am announcing my retirement from the office of District Attorney for the Sixth judicial Circuit, Tuscaloosa County, effective November 1, 2013. Under Alabama law, I am assuming the status of Supernumerary District Attorney as appointed by Governor Robert Bentley.
I was first elected District Attorney in November, 1998, and took office in January, 1999. I have since won reelection in 2004 and again in 2010. Prior to my election, I served as an assistant district attorney under Charley Freeman, Sam Russell, Wayne Williams and Lou Lackey, from 1974 until 1998. Prior to that I first started in the Tuscaloosa office as a law clerk in February, 1973, over 40 years ago. During my tenure, I have served on the Executive Board of the Alabama District Attorneys Association and was elected by the district attorneys of Alabama to serve as President of the Association in 2010.
It has been an honor and a privilege to be given the opportunity to serve the people of Tuscaloosa County. While I have been the District Attorney, we have partnered with many other agencies and entities to treat drug addictions and reduce recidivism. I am very proud of the great strides forward that have been made.
We have partnered with the Tuscaloosa City School System, Tuscaloosa County School System, the Tuscaloosa Police Department and the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Department to create the HELP and IMPACT programs. Those programs are designed to create intervention with at risk children and their families, who have been suspended from school. The goal is to address the issues that are causing the children to act out and get suspended. We know that if those issues are not addressed these children are far more likely to drop out of school and commit crimes. Both programs are very successful and the students who complete the programs do better in school with better graduation rates than those students who have been suspended but do not complete the programs.
We have worked with the courts, local attorneys and treatment professionals to create the CLEAN pretrial diversion program which is designed to work with nonviolent drug and first offender type defendants who have criminal cases. The CLEAN program is an expansion of the original Drug Court which was created while Charley Freeman was the District Attorney. The Drug Court would not have been created without the commitment and leadership of Charley Freeman. CLEAN has been very successful in that the graduates are far less likely to commit other crimes than defendants who do not go through the program and are better able to kick their drug addictions and lead productive successful lives.
Our Child Support Unit under Executive Director Mary Lewis has worked tirelessly for the benefit of children and their parents to enforce court ordered support and also to work with parents to help them be better able to work and meet their obligations. The unit has collected well over $100,000,000 for the benefit of Tuscaloosa County's children during my tenure by establishing relationships with other community agencies to promote better parenting practices and a keener focus on fatherhood, both of which are vital to a successful child support program. In addition to her accomplishments for Tuscaloosa County, Mrs. Lewis has been a leader for the entire state and has served the state as the President of the Alabama Child Support Association and is currently on the association's Board of Directors.
Our Special Services Division includes both the Worthless Check Unit and the Restitution Recovery Unit. Brian Barnett is the Executive Director of the Division and has worked hard to enforce court ordered restitution owed to victims and court costs from defendants which are delinquent. He has been recognized statewide for his expertise and excellence and the policies and procedures he has implemented have been used as models for the state.
I am also proud to have been able to increase the number of Victim Service Officers who serve the public. They are the liaisons between the office and the victims and witness in the cases we are prosecuting. They provide professional assistance to victims and work directly with victims to help them while their cases are being handled. They provide vital services such as helping to get restitution orders and coordinating court appearances.
Finally, but certainly not least, I want to make sure and say what an honor it has been for me to serve with all the men and women on staff. They are all true public servants who are dedicated to the profession and to serving the people of Tuscaloosa County. The trial and juvenile divisions of the office successfully handle several thousand cases every year of every type, including homicides, child victim crimes, white collar crimes, and traffic tickets. They work tirelessly under trying circumstances and I will always appreciate them.

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</style>Tuscaloosa County District Attorney Tommy Smith has retired from the position he has held for more than 14 years.
Friday was his last day.
Gov. Robert Bentley appointed Assistant District Attorney Lyn Head to fill the position.
Smith, 64, announced the retirement to his staff last week and to the public on Friday.
"It has been an honor and a privilege to be given the opportunity to serve the people of Tuscaloosa County," he wrote in a release sent at noon.
The governor appointed Smith to serve as a supernumerary district attorney, a position for retired prosecutors that allows him to prosecute special cases across the state.
Head was sworn in as district attorney Friday afternoon.
Tuscaloosa voters have elected Smith to three six-year terms. He took office in 1999 after serving in the office for most of his career. Smith started in the District Attorney's Office as a law clerk in 1973.
"While I have been the district attorney, we have partnered with many other agencies and entities to treat drug addictions and reduce recidivism. I am very proud of the great strides forward that have been made," he said.
Smith has served on the executive board of the Alabama District Attorneys Association and was elected president of the association in 2010.
<div class="picture left" style="width:278px;"> <img src="http://imageshack.us/scaled/large/853/y9mc.jpg" width="275" height="275"/> <br />New district attorney Lyn Head</div>Smith said he is proud of partnerships his office formed with city and county school systems and law enforcement agencies. Together, the groups created the HELP and IMPACT programs, designed to create intervention with at-risk children and their families. Children who have participated in the programs have shown improved academic performance and higher graduation rates, he said.
"The goal is to address the issues that are causing the children to act out and get suspended," he said. "We know that if those issues are not addressed, these children are far more likely to drop out of school and commit crimes."
Smith is also proud of the CLEAN program, a pre-trial diversion program created by members of the courts, local attorneys and substance abuse treatment professionals. First-time, non-violent drug and alcohol offenders participate in the program. Graduates are less likely to offend, Smith said, and are more likely to kick their drug addictions.
The office's Child Support Unit has collected more than $100 million in child support for the county's children. Smith praised the unit and the Special Services Division, which includes the Worthless Check Unit and the Restitution Recovery Unit. Staff members have worked hard, he said, to enforce court- ordered restitution owed to victims and delinquent court costs.
Smith said he is also proud that his office has increased the number of Victim Service Officers who act as liaisons between the office and the victims and witnesses involved in cases.
"Finally, but certainly not least, I want to make sure and say what an honor it has been for me to serve with all the men and women on staff," he said. "They are all true public servants who are dedicated to the profession and to serving the people of Tuscaloosa County."
Head has worked as an assistant Tuscaloosa County District Attorney since 1999.
"I am thankful for the opportunity to have served under Tommy and appreciate all that I have learned from him," she said. "I look forward to continuing to serve our community in this capacity."
She previously worked in the District Attorney's Office for the 10th Judicial Circuit in Bessemer, for the private Tuscaloosa firm Rosen, Harwood, Cook and Sledge (now Rosen Harwood PC) and Webb & Eley in Montgomery.
She earned her law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1990.
<center><b>SMITH'S FULL STATEMENT</b></center>
<i>I am announcing my retirement from the office of District Attorney for the Sixth judicial Circuit, Tuscaloosa County, effective November 1, 2013. Under Alabama law, I am assuming the status of Supernumerary District Attorney as appointed by Governor Robert Bentley.
I was first elected District Attorney in November, 1998, and took office in January, 1999. I have since won reelection in 2004 and again in 2010. Prior to my election, I served as an assistant district attorney under Charley Freeman, Sam Russell, Wayne Williams and Lou Lackey, from 1974 until 1998. Prior to that I first started in the Tuscaloosa office as a law clerk in February, 1973, over 40 years ago. During my tenure, I have served on the Executive Board of the Alabama District Attorneys Association and was elected by the district attorneys of Alabama to serve as President of the Association in 2010.
It has been an honor and a privilege to be given the opportunity to serve the people of Tuscaloosa County. While I have been the District Attorney, we have partnered with many other agencies and entities to treat drug addictions and reduce recidivism. I am very proud of the great strides forward that have been made.
We have partnered with the Tuscaloosa City School System, Tuscaloosa County School System, the Tuscaloosa Police Department and the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Department to create the HELP and IMPACT programs. Those programs are designed to create intervention with at risk children and their families, who have been suspended from school. The goal is to address the issues that are causing the children to act out and get suspended. We know that if those issues are not addressed these children are far more likely to drop out of school and commit crimes. Both programs are very successful and the students who complete the programs do better in school with better graduation rates than those students who have been suspended but do not complete the programs.
We have worked with the courts, local attorneys and treatment professionals to create the CLEAN pretrial diversion program which is designed to work with nonviolent drug and first offender type defendants who have criminal cases. The CLEAN program is an expansion of the original Drug Court which was created while Charley Freeman was the District Attorney. The Drug Court would not have been created without the commitment and leadership of Charley Freeman. CLEAN has been very successful in that the graduates are far less likely to commit other crimes than defendants who do not go through the program and are better able to kick their drug addictions and lead productive successful lives.
Our Child Support Unit under Executive Director Mary Lewis has worked tirelessly for the benefit of children and their parents to enforce court ordered support and also to work with parents to help them be better able to work and meet their obligations. The unit has collected well over $100,000,000 for the benefit of Tuscaloosa County's children during my tenure by establishing relationships with other community agencies to promote better parenting practices and a keener focus on fatherhood, both of which are vital to a successful child support program. In addition to her accomplishments for Tuscaloosa County, Mrs. Lewis has been a leader for the entire state and has served the state as the President of the Alabama Child Support Association and is currently on the association's Board of Directors.
Our Special Services Division includes both the Worthless Check Unit and the Restitution Recovery Unit. Brian Barnett is the Executive Director of the Division and has worked hard to enforce court ordered restitution owed to victims and court costs from defendants which are delinquent. He has been recognized statewide for his expertise and excellence and the policies and procedures he has implemented have been used as models for the state.
I am also proud to have been able to increase the number of Victim Service Officers who serve the public. They are the liaisons between the office and the victims and witness in the cases we are prosecuting. They provide professional assistance to victims and work directly with victims to help them while their cases are being handled. They provide vital services such as helping to get restitution orders and coordinating court appearances.
Finally, but certainly not least, I want to make sure and say what an honor it has been for me to serve with all the men and women on staff. They are all true public servants who are dedicated to the profession and to serving the people of Tuscaloosa County. The trial and juvenile divisions of the office successfully handle several thousand cases every year of every type, including homicides, child victim crimes, white collar crimes, and traffic tickets. They work tirelessly under trying circumstances and I will always appreciate them.
</i><center><p>***************</p><p><i>Reach Stephanie Taylor at <a href="mailto:stephanie.taylor@tuscaloosanews.com">Stephanie.Taylor@tuscaloosanews.com</a> or 205-722-0210.&nbsp;</i></p><p><div class="fb-like" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/tuscnews" data-send="false" data-layout="button_count" data-width="200" data-show-faces="false" data-font="tahoma"></div><i>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/tuscnews">Tuscaloosa News coverage on Facebook</a></i></p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/TNews_Steph" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @TNews_Steph</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?screen_name=TNews_Steph" class="twitter-mention-button" data-size="large" data-related="tuscaloosanews">Tweet to @TNews_Steph</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script></p>